Casket-lowering device



(No Model.)

0. E. WINDOM. GASKET LOWERING DEVICE.

No. 433,113. r Patented July 29, 1890.

I su- N qumnm a Attorney NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. \VINDOM, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

CASKET-LOWERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 433,113, dated July 29,1890.

Application filed March '7, 1890- Serial No. 342,995. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. WINDoM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sterling, in the county of \Vhiteside and State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Casket-LoweringDevices; and I do declare the following to be a full. clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention has reference to casket-low.

ering devices; and the obj eet of my invention is to provide a certain,unobtrusive, and silently working mechanism, by the use of which therough box containing the casket can be quietly and evenly lowered intothe grave.

The objective point in my invention is to provide a mechanical appliancewhich, in the first instance, supports the rough box at the top of thegrave in which the casket can be placed before lowering, and which willpermit the rough box and its contained casket to pass quietly and slowlyof their own gravity to the bottom of the grave, any acceleration ormomentum in such movement being obviated by a friclion brake, ashereinafter described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of my invention,the side of the rough box being indicated by dotted lines. Fig 2 is apartial plan of the same, the grave being indicated by broken full linesand the top of the rough box by dotted lines. Fig. 3 is an endelevation. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the brake mechanism.

A, Fig. 2, represents an open grave.

I3 is a rough box closed and containing the casket preparatory to beinglowered.

O C are short vertical posts seated in pairs at each end of the grave A.A cross-brace I) is loosely journaled in suitable side extensions 0' oneach pair of posts 3, being held adjust ably therein by set-screws D,whereby the interval between each pair of posts 0 can be readilyincreased or diminished to adjust the mechanism to different-sizedgraves. Longitndinal shafts E E are journaled at each end,

respectively, in suitable side extensions C on a corner-post C, and canalso be made adj ustable in the said extensions by means of setserews Dso as to be adapted to graves of different lengths. The cross-braces Dand shafts E, together with the four posts 0, constitute a rectangularframe inclosing, when in use, the grave. Upon each of the rotary shaftsE are keyed two lowering-pulleys F, to each of which is attached theinner end of a strap G. The outer or loose end of the strap G isprovided with a metallic crosshead G, adapted to readily engage anddisengage the hooks B, fastened to the side of V the casket B at or nearthe bottom of the latter. 'lhe pulleys F have a deeply-groovedperiphery, capable of containing the belt G when wound thereon, and saidpulleys are adjustably seated on shafts E by means of setscrews F, so asto be capable of being shifted endwisc. On the end of one of the shaftsE is rigidly seated a sprocket-wheel I'I, integral with which there is afriction brake-pulley J. A sprocketehain K extends from thesprocket-wheel II to a corresponding spocket-wheel L, seated on a shorthorizontal post L, attached to the adjacent portion of the crossbrace l)or to some suitable projection of the adjacent post 0. On the inner faceof the sprocket-wheel L and integral therewith is a small pinion Ill,which engages with a correspondin g pinion N, rigidly seated. on the endof the other shaft E. By the interconnection just stated it is obviousthat both shafts E must move with the same velocity, and their axialrotations must be in different directions, wherel'iy the adjacent orinner faces of the opposing pulleys F will always move in the samedirection. It is important that the straps G be lowered and raised fromthe inner side of the pulleys F, so that said straps may be kept out ofcontact with the margin of the grave, and thus prevent them fromprecipitating elods or dirt upon the descend ing casket.

' It intended that the weight of the rough box, casket, and body shallbesuflieient to operate the machine and lower themselves, and thereremains only the application of mechanism. to prevent the descent of therough box and contents into the grave with too great velocity. Toprevent this I provide a bell-brank lever O, pivoted horizontally at itsangle to one of the posts C, and thereby adapted to oscillate in avertical plane, and provided with a substantially horizental pedal 0 andvertical arm 0''. A brake-strap P, metallic or otherwise, is attached atone end to the base of the post 0 and passed upward and nearly entirelyaround the brakepulley J, and pivotally attached at its other end to theupper end of the vertical arm 0 of the lever O. A spring R is suitablyat tached at its inner end to the posts 0 under the treadle 0, so as topress upward against the outer portion of the latter. The effect of theupward pressure of the outer end of the spring R under the pedal 0 isto'throw the arm 0 inward, and thus tighten the frictionstrap P. Thespring R has sufficient action and strength in this regard to lock themachine against any movement with sufficient rigidity to sustain anypossible weight upon the lowering-belts G. WVhen the casket is placed inthe rough box at the mouth or top of the grave and the latter rests uponthe belts G and is ready for descent, the undertaker or person in chargeplaces his foot on' the pedal 0 and exerts a downward pressure againstthe spring R, sufficient to permit the gravity of the rough box andcontents to operate the machine and to allow the rotation of the shaftsE to be eifected by the weight of the rough box and contents, andthereby the latter to automatically lower itself into the grave. Otherdevices might be substituted for the lever O, for instance, a crank uponone of the shafts E; but at such times the least demonstration is thebest, and the device I have described is the least obtrusive and themode of operation better comports with the quality and solemnity of theoccasion. After the rough box and contents have been lowered a slightrocking of the belts G will cause the lower ends of the latter todisengage themselves from the hooks B, and at the proper time, by theapplication of a removable crank to the end S of one of the shafts E,the latter can be rotated in an opposite direction, so as to Wind thebelts G on the pulleys F. The posts 0 can be leveled by placing undereach pairof them the cross planks T or otherwise, and the connection ofthe shafts E with posts 0 may be removable for convenience in handlingthe machine.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States,

The combination of two parallel interconnected rotating shafts E E,provided, respect ively with pulleys F, lowering belts G, adapted to beWound and unwound upon said pulleys, friction brake-pulley J, rigidlyseated on one of the shafts E, brake-strap P,

